Rocks of Ireland and Plate Tectonics

Title: Rocks of Ireland and Plate Tectonics
Length 800 words (+/-10%) (not including figure captions and the reference list) – include word count on document.

Guidelines
Write about one rock from each of the three rock classes (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) that can found
outcropping (at the surface) in Ireland (NOT including the rock you used in your preparation work). The write-up should include a brief description (e.g. colour, texture/structure, mineralogy) of each rock type, and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between rock characteristics, rock formation and how this can be explained through our understanding of plate tectonics, including the Irish context. Note that the write up should also include a short introduction and conclusion to produce a rounded piece of work.
It is critical that emphasis in the write-up is given to an explanation as to how and why the rock type has its
characteristics, rather than solely a description of the rock.
Any source materials (books, articles, and online resources) should be appropriately referenced using the Harvard referencing system. You can use figures/diagrams etc. where appropriate – these should be clearly labelled (Figure 1,
Figure 2 etc.), with an accompanying caption (description of what the figure shows). Note that figure labels must be referred to in the text (e.g. Figure 1 shows …..). The figure label/caption should be positioned immediately below the figure and include a short citation for the source in the caption. Full reference details for figures can be included in the alphabetically listed reference list at the end of your assignment – not as a separate list for figures. In terms of references, you are encouraged to employ a range of sources and not rely solely on internet websites. If you do use an internet website, make sure that they are reputable organisations (e.g. GSI.ie).
Include Word Count (minus references) at the bottom of your document.

Include Word Count (minus references) at the bottom of your document.
Grading
The assignment will be graded based on (i) Knowledge of subject matter, (ii) Application of knowledge to task set, (iii) Evidence of reading, (iv) Presentation (spelling, grammar, graphical) & Writing Style. (v) Referencing. The grading rubric, with these five bullet-pointed elements, has been posted on Brightspace in the Tutorial 1 folder.